Team Sky Reveals Roster for 2011 Vuelta a Espana

Team Sky Procycling earlier this afternoon announced its nine-man line-up for the 2011 Vuelta a Espana, starting on Saturday in Benidorm.

Team Sky Procycling earlier this afternoon announced its nine-man line-up for the 2011 Vuelta a Espana, starting on Saturday in Benidorm.

Bradley Wiggins, who was forced to abandon the Tour de France last month with a broken collarbone, will make his return in the race and lead a squad which includes fellow Brits Chris Froome and Ian Stannard.

Talented Swede Thomas Löfkvist - who led the team's General Classification hopes at the Giro d'Italia - will provide Wiggins with key support in the mountains, as will Italian duo Dario Cioni and Morris Possoni, and the experienced Spaniard Xabier Zandio.

Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne winner Chris Sutton will head up the team's sprint charge, while 10-time Grand Tour veteran Kurt-Asle Arvesen rounds off a talented and versatile squad with less focus on sprint capabilities than otherwise normal for Team Sky.

Commenting on his expectations for the Vuelta a Espana 2011 Team Sky captain Bradley Wiggins said "I'm looking forward to making my return at the Vuelta a Espana. It's a race I haven't ridden before so it'll be exciting to take part in and I want to produce a strong performance for all those people who have supported me since my crash at the Tour de France."

"The level of encouragement I've received has been overwhelming and I'd like to do everyone proud. I have a great team here to support me and it should be a really exciting three weeks of racing," Wiggins added.

"We have a strong team here and everyone will give Bradley (Wiggins) the best possible support to ensure he produces a good ride. It's going to be exciting to see how things go for him and I'm really happy to be taking part because it gets another Grand Tour in my legs and that should help in terms of the Classics next year," Stannard commented.

"Everyone was pleased with the team's performance at the Tour de France and we will be looking to continue racing in the same way at the Vuelta a Espana," Team Sky general manager Dave Brailsford told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi.

"Having Bradley back has reinvigorated us all. He will lead the team and has recovered and trained well since his operation, but the fact he hasn't been able to race for seven weeks means we will have to take things day by day."

"Bradley has three hugely-experienced riders there to support him in Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Dario Cioni and Xabier Zandio, while Thomas Löfkvist is also a veteran of nine Grand Tours despite his relatively young age."

According to Brailsford "Chris Froome and Ian Stannard's inclusion demonstrates once again the depth of British talent we have in the squad, while Morris Possoni and Chris Sutton have also impressed us again this season with their respective climbing and sprint capabilities.